Month: September 2015

In these times of major challenges presented by massive refugee movements, I hope you feel justifiably proud of the contribution you have already made to help with medical problems that are not merely local.

Twice the Doctor funds, totalling over $300,000 collected, have been directed towards training healthcare staff in Sierra Leone to rebuild capacity following the devastating toll reaped by the Ebola crisis. Donations have also gone towards preventing permanent blindness by funding trachoma lid surgery in Ethiopia.

Sometimes the good we do and inspire comes from unexpected quarters; I was recently informed of a patient who happened to be in Wyong Hospital during the last Doctors Day in May. She was moved to crochet away, sell the items produced and donate the funds, $200, to the Fred Hollows Foundation.

I was also informed that UNICEF were very pleased to have had an airing on the 7.30 report, which you may recall featured the Twice The Doctor concept during the height of the Ebola crisis. Hopefully the programme resulted in lots of direct donations to UNICEF and at minimum a heightened awareness of the excellent work it does in so many parts of the world.

By pulling together we can inspire our medical colleagues and others to chip in. Your contribution has already had an amplified effect. We have had in the order of 300 doctors participate. Imagine if really large numbers of doctors were involved – the opportunities for sponsorship from industry would be multiple. Please spread the Twice The Doctor message to your medical colleagues; you’ll potentially be doing everyone, not least some of the most needful people in the world, a significant favour.